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Educational Survey of 

Towns County 

Georgia 



By 

M. L. DUGGAN, Rural School Agent 






-7 



No. 19 



Under Direction of the State 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 



M. L. BRITTAIN 
State Superintendent of Schools 
1917 



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Educational Survey of 

Towns County 

Georgia 



By 

M. L. DUGGAN, Rural School Agent 



No. 19 



Under Direction of the State 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 



M. L. BRITTAIN 

State Superintendent of Schools 
1917 






z6 






COUNTY SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION. 



DR. R. T. COLEMAN, Superintendent Young Harris, Ga 

County Board of Education. 
HON. P. A. WOODING, Chairman Young Harris, Ga. 

HON. JOHN H. ALLEN - Visage, Ga. 

HON. W. H. NICHOLSON Hiawassee, Ga. 

HON. W. H. DEAN Young Harris, Ga. 

HON. E. W. TAYLOR Presley, Ga. 



D, Of D* 
JUN 2«j191& 




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Hiawassee Valley 

(From Mountain Scene School.) 

TOWNS COUNTY. 



Immediately on the Blue Ridge Range of mountains, ad- 
joining the North Carolina line, this is a typical mountain 
county. Its valleys are beautiful and fertile, its moun- 
tains the highest in Georgia, (Enota 4798 feet), its citi- 
zenry of the purest Anglo-Saxon strain, but the lack of 
transportation facilities have retarded the wheels of pro- 
gress. Better roads and better schools are the fundamental 
needs of the county, and the hopeful sign is that the 
people are beginning to realize this. The purpose of this 
Bulletin is to help them to a speedy and fuller realization. 

If it is true that "Towns county has furnished to the 
country as many strong and noted preachers and teachers 
in proportion to population as any county in the State", the 
probable reason is to to be found in, (1st), the native 
ability and resourcefulness of the mountain boys and girls, 
and (2nd) , the exceptional educational opportunities af- 
forded by the two well known church schools located in the 



county, viz: Hiawassee, maintained by the Baptists and 
Young Harris by the Methodists. 

I would not undertake to estimate the value of the serv- 
ices rendered by these two institutions, for they can only 
be fully accounted for by the Recording Angel. The high 
character and kind of education offered by them, however, 
has led inevitably to the so-called learned professions, 
mainly the ministry and teaching, and the county has neith- 
er needed all of these nor been able to adequately remun- 
erate any of them ; hence practically all have been compelled 
to seek other sections demanding their talents and able 
to offer proper compensation. The county has been made 
vastly poorer by their leaving, and others have not come in 
to fill their places. 

No efforts have been made to offer special or technical 
training of any kind calculated to develop the natural re- 
sources of the section. No sort of vocational education has 
been attempted. And the educational opportunities of the 
county, other than as offered by these two institutions, 
have remained meager and utterly inadequate to the de- 
mands of the times or the children of the county. 

A NEW PROBLEM. 

And now in obedience to the laws of Georgia, as recently 
interpreted, these church schools are separating themselves 
from further state aid, and in the readjustment find them- 
selves no longer able to offer to their immediate communi- 
ties any sort of common school opportunities. With the 
state aid withdrawn they seem compelled to limit their 
efforts in future to High School work, leaving the common 
school work entirely to the very meager facilities that the 
state has been able to supply to other parts of the county. 
Thus these favored communities are suddenly facing the 
same problems as other sections, and so the fundamental 
problem of school maintenance has become the vital com- 
mon problem of the entire county. This problem has no- 



where ever been permanently or satisfactorily settled ex- 
cept through county-wide local taxation, and the people 
can not longer afford to temporize with any other ex- 
perimentations. Hence, 

THE PARAMOUNT PUBLIC SCHOOL PROBLEM IN 
TOWNS COUNTY IS LOCAL TAXATION. 

More money to operate the schools is the prime need, 
and a county-wide local school tax to supplement the state 
school funds is the only sure and satisfactory way to get it. 
Some of the arguments for it and the needs that it will 
supply are recorded in this Bulletin. The pictures show 
great need of better buildings in some places, and more suit- 
able buildings everywhere. The total lack of school equip- 
ment prevents the possibility of good teaching. The chil- 
dren can not possibly complete the grades required within 
the very limited school year (five months). Good services 
can not be expected at the salaries paid to the teachers. 

The new jail recently built by taxation cost more than 
the value of all the school houses in the county. Which 
is most important? 

TEACHERS' SALARIES AND SERVICES. 

The maximum salaries paid in the county is one hundred 
and fifty dollars a year (five months). Some teachers are 
paid as low as one hundred dollars. As a result one-third 
of the teachers hold license lower than first grade; and 
two-thirds of them are teaching at their present schools 
for their first term. (Unless better salaries can be paid it 
may be their last). As might be expected, there is a low 
vitality in the morale of the schools, no club work to stimu- 
late and develop self-activity. The people are expecting 
very little of these schools, because they have put very little 
into them. They are just about getting value received and 



have therefore, no just cause of complaint against the 
schools. 



FINANCES. 

Towns county received from the State School Fund $4,072.00 

If the county levied against its property the same rate as 
levied for schools in Rabun Co. (adjoining- on the 
east) 2,900.00 



The county would then have for operating its schools $6,972.00 

The cost of administration remaining the same the 
amount available for each school in the county would be 
nearly or quite doubled. The efficiency of every school 
should be much more than doubled. 



THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 

There are in the county at present, after several con- 
solidations already effected, nineteen public common schools, 
all limiting their work to seven grades. There are high 
school departments in connection with two of these (Hia- 
wassee and Young Harris), both under denominational con- 
trol, and henceforth to be separate from the common schools. 
As will be seen from detailed reports herein the equipment 
of these schools consists at best of a few good home made 
desks and many "long benches", inferior and insufficient 
blackboards, a small map of Georgia furnished without cost 
by the State Department of Agriculture and several U. S. 
history maps sent by Congressmen, and very rarely any- 
thing else. At only two schools in the county outside of 
Hiawassee and Young Harris could any toilet be found, and 
only one each at these two schools. Playgrounds are en- 
tirely too small at most of the schools, but this is some- 
times due to the steep mountain sides. Organized play 
has not been attempted. 



CONSOLIDATIONS. 

With commendable wisdom, and without inconvenience 
to any patrons, the County Board of Education has already 
effected several consolidations. Three schools have been 
consolidated into one at Brasstown, two into one at Moun- 
tain Scene school, and one (County Line school) sent to 
Young Harris. Several others are in contemplation and 
may be effected without unreasonable inconvenience to pa- 
trons, as will be seen by their proximity to each other, as 
herein reported. Thus these schools may be greatly 
strengthened, as well as their maintenance funds increased 
by decreasing their number. The Board and Superintend- 
ent well deserves the sympathy and cooperation of the peo- 
ple in this wise policy which makes for the betterment of 
the schools. 



FREE TEXT-BOOKS. 

Upon careful inquiry at each school it was found that a 
considerable number of the little children were or had been 
in school without any text-books; while a much larger 
number were insufficiently supplied. Particularly because 
many of these without text-books had discontinued school 
it may reasonably be concluded that still others had never 
entered because of the lack of text-books. These consid- 
erations lead us to recommend free text-books to the first 
two or three grades as soon as the county will supply more 
funds through a local school tax. The total amount re- 
quired for this will be very small. None can estimate the 
good that may result. 

COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE LAWS. 

"An Act to require school attendance of children", etc., 
contains the following: 



SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the 
State of Georgia, that every parent, guardian or other person having 
charge and control of a child between the ages of eight and four- 
teen years, who is not exempted or excused as hereinafter provided, 
shall cause said child to be enrolled in and to attend continuously for 
four months of each year a public school of the district or of the 
city or town in which the child resides; which period of attendance 
shall commence at the beginning of the first term of said school in 
the year. 

Certain exceptions are made, 'the sufficiency of which 
shall be determined by the board of education", etc. 

SEC. 2. Be it further enacted, That any parent, guardian or 
other person who has charge and control of a child between the ages 
aforesaid, and who wilfully fails to comply with the foregoing re- 
quirements shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction there- 
of shall be punished by a fine not to exceed ten dollars for the 
first offense, and not to exceed twenty dollars for each subsequent 
offense, said fines to include all costs, etc. 



VOCATIONAL EDUCATION. 

It is encouraging to note the promise of success with 
which the introduction of the Demonstration Work into 
the county has met so far. Particularly encouraging was 
the recent approval by the Grand Jury of an appropriation 
for the continuation of the Home Economics Demonstration 
"Work in the county. While both the Farm Demonstration 
and Home Economics work has been hopefully established 
in the county, still neither have as yet been sufficiently 
introduced into the public schools. This may be because the 
teachers have not as yet realized its immense importance 
as educational agencies. No progressive teacher longer hesi- 
tates to welcome these agencies into her school and give 
all possible cooperation. Boys' and Girls' clubs should be 
formed and encouraged in every school in the county, and 
the Demonstration agents should work hand in hand with 
the public schools for the proper education of the children 
and the highest development of the county. 




MOUNTAIN SCENE SCHOOL. 
Unfinished new building 

(The result of a consolidation of two schools.) 

Teacher: Mr. Frank Watson, Presley, Ga. 

Location: Three and half miles north to Macedonia. 

Grounds: Area, one acre; titles in County Board; two churches on 
adjoining lots; new location, as yet unimproved; very small 
playgrounds; no school gardens; no toilets. 

Building: Value, $600.00; one class room; no cloak rooms; well 
lighted; ceiled and painted; (an unfinished new building 
not yet in use). 

Equipment: To have double patent desks; good blackboards; a few 
maps; no charts, globe, pictures, or dictionary; a library 
in contemplation. 

Organization: One teacher; six grades; enrollment 43; average at- 
tendance 34; no program posted; no clubs; five months school 
year. 

Maintenance: $150.00 from state funds; no other funds. 

Note — Children not all supplied with books. 

9 




COUNTY LINE SCHOOL. 

(Note — This school to be consolidated with Young Harris at 
end of present term.) 

Teacher: Mr. M. C. Hood, Young- Harris, Ga. 

Location: One and half miles north to Young Harris. 

Grounds: Area, very small; title (?); unimproved; very small play- 
grounds; no school gardens; no toilets. 

Building: Value, $400.00; one class room; no cloak rooms; improp- 
erly lighted; in good repair and well kept; unpainted. 

Equipment: Long benches; fair blackboards; no maps, charts, globe, 
pictures, library, or dictionary. 

Organization: One teacher; eight grades; enrollment 56; average 
attendance 40; no program posted; no clubs; five months 
school year. 

Maintenance: $125.00 from State funds; no other funds. 

Note— About half the patronage from Union county. 

10 




MACEDONIA SCHOOL. 

Teacher: Mr. L. L. Kimsey, Hiawassee, Ga. 

Location: Three and half miles south to Mountain Scene. 

Grounds: Area, one acre; titles in trustees.; unimproved grove; small 
playgrounds; no school gardens; no toilets. 

Building: One large room; no cloak rooms; not fully lighted; well 
kept, but not in good repair; ceiled; unpainted. 

Equipment: Long benches and a few patent desks; no blackboards; 
two maps; no charts, globe, pictures, library, or reference 
dictionary. 

Organization: One teacher; seven grades; enrollment 77; average 
attendance 43; no program posted; no clubs; school year 
five months. 

Maintenance: $150.00 from State funds; no other funds. 



Note — Children not well supplied with text-books. 

11 




PINE GROVE SCHOOL. 

Teacher: Miss Ora Nicholson, Hiawassee, Ga. 

Location: One and half miles to Upper Hightower; two and half 
miles to Lower Hightower. 

Grounds: Area, one acre; titles in trustees; partly improved; ample 
playgrounds; well kept; no school gardens; no toilets. 

Building: Value, $150.00; one class room; no cloak rooms; clean 
and well kept; fairly lighted. 

Equipment: Good home-made desks; no blackboards; one small state 
map; no charts, globe, pictures, library, or reference dic- 
tionary. 

Organization: One teacher, four grades; enrollment 40; average at- 
tendance 33; no program posted; no clubs; five months 
school year. 



Maintenance: $125.00 from State funds; no other funds. 

12 




BEAR'S MEAT SCHOOL. 



Teacher: Miss Maude White, Hiawassee, Ga. 

Location: Four miles northwest to Hiawassee; one and half miles 
to Upper Hightower. 

Grounds: Area, one acre; title "for school and church"; unimproved; 
very small playgrounds; no school gardens; no toilets. 

Building: Value, $150.00; one class room; no cloak rooms; fairly 
lighted; in bad repair; unpainted. 

Equipment: Long benches; no opportunity for writing; very little 
blackboards; one small state map; no charts, globe, pic- 
tures, library, or reference dictionary. 

Organization: One teacher; seven grades; enrollment 33; average 
attendance 23; no program posted; no clubs; five months 
school year. 

Maintenance: $125.00 from State funds; no other funds. 

Note — About half the children without text-books. 

13 




UPPER HIGHTOWER SCHOOL. 

Teacher: Troy Berrong, Hiawassee, Ga. 

Location: Three and half miles notheast to Pleasant Hill; three 
miles west to Lower Hightower; one and half miles to Bear's 
Meat. 

Grounds: Area, one acre; titles, "for church and school"; unim- 
proved; ample playgrounds; no school gardens; no toilets. 

Building: Value, $800.00; one large room (used for a church); no 
cloak rooms; fairly lighted; in good repair; ceiled; painted. 

Equipment: Long benches; very poor blackboards; no maps, charts, 
globe, pictures, library, or reference dictionary. 

Organization: One teacher; seven grades; em - ollment 53; average 
attendance 40; no program posted; no clubs; five months 
school year. 

Maintenance: $150.00 from State funds; no other funds. 



Note — Children not well supplied with text-books. 

14 




PLEASANT HILL SCHOOL. 

Teacher: Mr. E. S. Berrong, Titus, Ga. 

Location: Three and half miles southwest to Upper High tower; 
six miles northeast to Tate City. 

Grounds: Area, half acre; titles in trustees; unimproved; very small 
playgrounds; no school gardens; no toilets. 

Building: Value, $600.00; one class room; no cloak rooms; very 
well lighted; comfortable and well kept; ceiled; painted in- 
side. 

Equipment: Long benches; poor blackboards; one small State map; 
no charts, globe, pictures, library, or reference dictionary. 

Organization: One teacher; seven grades; enrollment 50; average 
attendance 40; no program posted; no clubs; five months 
school year. 



Maintenance: $150.00 from State funds; no other funds. 

15 




LOWER HIGHTOWER SCHOOL. 

Teacher: Mrs. Lucile Wood, Hiawassee, Ga. 

Location: Two miles northwest to Bear's Meat School; three miles 
east to Upper Hightower school. 

Grounds: Area, (?); titles, "for church and school"; ample play- 
grounds; no school gardens; no toilets. 

Building: Value, $700.00; one class room; no cloak rooms; fairly 
lighted; in good repair and well kept; ceiled; painted inside 
and outside. Used also for a church. 

Equipment: Long benches; no blackboards; no maps, charts, pic- 
tures, globe, library, or reference dictionary. 

Organization: One teacher; six grades; enrollment 18; average at- 
tendance 12; no program posted; no clubs; five months school 
year. 

Maintenance: $137.50 from State funds; no other funds. 



16 




TATE CITY SCHOOL. 

Teacher: Miss Media Cowart, Tree, Ga. 

Location: "Tate City" is a very remote rural community composed 
of about fifteen families situated in a fertile valley of sur- 
passing beauty at the head of the Tallulah river. It is in 
the extreme northeast corner of Towns county, shut in on 
all sides by very high mountain peaks of the Blue Ridge 
Range, and separated by them from any other schools or 
residences. The only way in or out is over these high 
mountains, but it is well worth the trip. 

Grounds: Area, very small; titles, ''for church and school purposes"; 
unimproved; no school gardens; very small playgrounds; 
no toilets. 

Building: Value, $600.00; one class room; no cloak rooms; well 
lighted; comfortable, in good repair, and clean; well ceiled; 
painted outside. 

Equipment: Long benches; very poor blackboards; small state map; 
no charts, globe, pictures, library, or reference dictionary. 

Organization: One teacher; five grades; enrollment 22; average at- 
tendance 17; no program posted; no clubs; five months 
school year. 

Maintenance: $100.00 from State funds; no other funds. 



17 




FODDER'S CREEK SCHOOL. 

Teacher: H. K. Sutton, Hiawassee, Ga. 

Location: Three miles east to Macedonia; five miles northeast to 
Hiawassee. 

Grounds: Area, (?); titles (?); grounds rolling; playgrounds very- 
small; no school gardens; no toilets. 

Building: Value, $500.00; one class room; no cloak rooms; fairly 
well lighted; in good repair and well kept; floors oiled; 
ceiled; painted inside and outside. 

Equipment: Home-made desks and benches; very poor blackboards; 
no maps, charts, globe, pictures, library, or reference dic- 
tionary. 

Organization: One teacher; seven grades; enrollment 45; average 
attendance 35; no program posted; no clubs; five months 
school year. 



Maintenance: $150.00 from State; no other funds. 

18 




BRASSTOWN SCHOOL. 

(This school is the result of the recent consolidation of Frog 
Pond, Crooked Creek, and New Hope schools. The entire territory 
is conveniently served at this central location, but the service is very 
greatly improved.) 

Teachers: Mr. D. J. Nichols, Principal; Miss Alice Dyer, Assistant, 
Young Harris, Ga. 

Location: Three miles north of Young Harris. 

Grounds: Area, two acres; titles in county Board of Education; fine 
location, as yet unimproved; good playgrounds; school gar- 
dens in contemplation; no toilets yet. 

Building: Value, $1,600.00; two class rooms; cloak rooms; well and 
correctly lighted; first-class condition, and well kept; well 
ceiled and painted. 

Equipment: Double patent desks; first-class blackboards; maps, il- 
lustrative materials, no framed pictures, or reference dic- 
tionary; library in contemplation. 

Organization: Two teachers; seven grades; enrollment 130; average 
attendance 95; programs; no clubs yet organized. 

Maintenance: $300 00 from State funds; no other funds. 



19 




GUM LOG SCHOOL. 

Teacher: Miss Minta Piatt, Young- Harris, Ga. 

Location: Extreme northwest corner of county; three miles east to 
Brasstown school. 

Grounds: Area, one and half acres; titles in trustees; unimproved; 
small playgrounds; no school gardens; one toilet, in fair 
condition. 

Building: Value, $600.00; one class room; no cloak rooms; well 
lighted; in good repair and well kept; well ceiled; painted 
outside. 

Equipment: Good home-made desks; poor blackboards; no maps, 
charts, globe, pictures, library, or reference dictionary. 

Organization: One teacher; six grades; enrollment 52; average at- 
tendance 35; no program posted; no clubs; five months school 
year. 

Maintenance: $125.00 from State funds; no other funds. 



20 




WOOD'S GROVE SCHOOL. 

Teacher: Mr. L. D. Gribble, Hiawassee, Ga. 

Location: Four miles southeast to Hiawassee; four miles southwest 
to Young Harris. 

Grounds: Area, one acre; titles in trustees; grounds unimproved; 
small playgrounds; no school gardens; one toilet. 

Building: Value, $600.00; one class room; no cloak rooms; improp- 
erly lighted; building in good repair, and well kept; floors 
oiled; well ceiled, and painted outside. 

Equipment: Good home-made desks; poor blackboards; one small 
state map; no charts, globe, pictures, or reference dictionary; 
a library in contemplation. 

Organization: One teacher; six grades; enrollment 59; average at- 
tendance 47; no program posted; no clubs; five months school 
year. 



Maintenance: $150.00 from State funds; no other funds. 

2,1 




WEST UNION SCHOOL. 



Teacher: Mr. L. F. Ledford, Young Harris, Ga. 

Location: Three miles east to Young Harris. 

Grounds: Area, one acre; unimproved; playground small; no school 
gardens; no toilets. 

Building: Value, $300.00; one class room; no cloak rooms; fairly 
lighted; clean; unpainted. 

Equipment: Good home-made desks just put in; fairly good black- 
boards; one small state map; no charts, globe, pictures, li- 
brary, or reference dictionary. 



Organization: One teacher; seven grades; enrollment 44; average 
attendance 36; five months school year; no clubs; no pro- 
gram posted. 



Maintenance: $100.00 from State funds; no other funds. 



22 




LOWER BELL'S CREEK SCHOOL. 
Teacher Mr. W. E. Eller, Hiawassee, Ga. 

Location: Two miles south to Hiawassee; two miles east to Upper 
Bell's Creek. 

Grounds: Area, half acre; titles in local trustees; very fine grove; 
playgrounds on adjacent church property; no school gardens; 
no toilets. 

Building: Value, $550.00; one class room; no cloak rooms; in good 
repair, and clean; fairly lighted; ceiled inside; painted out- 
side. 

Equipment: Long benches and a few patent desks; very poor black- 
boards; small state map; no charts, globe, pictures, library, 
or reference dictionary. 



Organization: One teacher; six grades; enrollment 82; average at- 
tendance 64; no program posted; no clubs; five months school 
year. 

Maintenance: $125.00 from State funds; no other funds. 

23 




UPPER BELL'S CREEK SCHOOL. 

Teacher: Miss Christine Twiggs, Hiawassee, Ga. 

Location: Two miles east to Lower Bell's Creek; four miles south- 
west to Hiawassee. 

Grounds: Area, half acre; titles in local trustees; very small play- 
grounds on lot, but ample on adjoining lands used by chil- 
dren; no school gardens; no toilets. 

Building: Value, $500.00; one class room; no cloak rooms; fairly 
lighted; in good repair and well kept; ceiled, but unpainted. 

Equipment: Long benches; poor blackboards; one small state map; 
no charts, pictures, or reference dictionary; no library. 

Organization: One teacher; six grades; enrollment 33; average at- 
tendance 25; no clubs; five months school year. 

Maintenance: $137.50 from State funds; no other funds. 



2i 




HOG CREEK SCHOOL. 

Teacher: Mrs. Hattie Kimsey, Hiawassee, Ga. 

Location: Two miles north to Hiawassee. 

Grounds: Area, half acre; titles in trustees; fine grove unimproved; 
small playgrounds; yards well kept; no school gardens; no 
toilets. 

Building: Value, $600.00; one class room; no cloak rooms; well 
lighted (panes badly broken); in good repair; well kept; 
ceiled; unpainted; painted outside. 

Equipment: Long benches; very poor blackboards; one small state 
map; no charts, globe, pictures, library, or reference dic- 
tionary. 

Organization: One teacher; seven grades; enrollment 70; average 
attendance 50; no program posted; no clubs; five months 
school year. 

Maintenance: $150.00 from State funds; no other funds. 

Note — Children not well supplied with text-books. 



25 




HIAWASSEE HIGH SCHOOL. 

(High School Department under auspices of the Baptist Mission 

Boards.) 

Teachers: Rev. L. B. Johnson, Principal, High School Department; 
Miss Virginia Greene, Intermediate Department; Mrs. Mag- 
gie Berrong, Primary. 

Grounds: Area, several acres; fine elevated location; well fenced 
and improved; ample playgrounds; no school gardens; two 
toilets in good condition. 

Building: Value, $3,000.00; four class rooms; folding doors for audi- 
torium; in good repair; fairly well lighted; painted. 

Equipment: Double patent desks in suitable sizes; good blackboards; 
a few maps; charts, pictures; small library and dictionary. 

Organization: Three teachers (two in common school department); 
one music teacher; ten grades; nine months term. 

Maintenance: $300.00 to common school from State funds; tuition 
and an appropriation from Mission Boards to High School. 



26 



YOUNG L. G. HARRIS COLLEGE. 

(No photo would adequately show this plant.) 

This institution is controlled by the North Georgia Conference of 
the Methodist Church through a Board of Trustees. It was estab- 
lished in 1887, and for the past seventeen years, until recently, was 
presided over by Rev. J. A. Sharp, D.D. During this period the 
patronage was very large. By special legislation no Coca-Cola or 
other soft drinks are sold within a mile of the institution. 

Faculty: The faculty consists of Rev. Geo. L. King, President; S. E. 
Hambrick, J. W. Cantrell, S. B. Tolar, S. G. Miller, V. L. 
Bray, J. H. Pittard. Grammar School: P. G. Pound, Mrs. 
S. B. Tolar. Music: Miss Mary Cantrell. Expression: Miss 
Sarah Satterwhite. 

Grounds: The Institution owns some six hundred acres very fertile 
lands, and some of the pupils are allowed to work their way 
through the school. No effort is made to teach scientific 
agriculture. The school plant is located in a beautiful grove 
a little distant from the highest mountain peak in the State 
— Enota, locally known as Brasstown Bald. 

Buildings: The buildings consist of a two-story academic building 
containing ten class-rooms, heated by steam; a brick struc- 
ture used as a church and chapel; a three-story Girls' Home, 
containing sixty rooms; A Boys' Dormitory, containing forty- 
four rooms; and a Grammar School building, which also con- 
tains a hall for Literary Societies, etc. 

Equipment: Besides ordinary school room furniture, there is a good 
library, small physical laboratory, dormitory and dining room 
equipments, etc. 

Maintenance: The institution is maintained by conference donations, 
tuition, income from the farm, etc. The State school funds 
of $300. 00 heretofore appropriated will in the future be with- 
drawn. 



27 



LETTER FROM STATE SUPERINTENDENT 
M. L. BRITTAIN 

To the County Superintendent and Teachers: 

Educational results and good teaching generally are not 
often secured in a shiftless-looking building in which neith- 
er patrons, pupils, nor teachers take any pride. Indefinite- 
ness has been removed at this point through the standard 
school. In the larger towns and cities pressure of public 
sentiment and the comment of visitors will sooner or later 
force good educational conditions — and they are improv- 
ing constantly. Rural communities need to be shown and 
inspired by educational leaders and we have sent diplomas 
to more than two hundred county schools where the super- 
intendents have certified to the fact that they have meas- 
ured up to the standard in every particular. There are a 
number of localities in the State where the feeling is that 
no community in the county is able to bring its school up 
to these very reasonable requirements. I cannot help but 
think that this is a mistaken view and that some standard 
schools could be secured in every county in Georgia and 
that these would serve to inspire the others to progress. 
Superintendents have written that the use of this efficiency 
test has developed more progress in the past 12 months 
than for years previous in the way of improvement. The 
plan is of no value, however, where it is not used or applied 
and I earnestly hope we will have the effort at least of 
every superintendent in the State to have his county repre- 
sented on this roll of honor. The list will be published in 
the next Annual Report. The standard is not unreasonably 
high and no more than the Georgia parent has the right to 
expect. Copies should be posted in every county school 
room in the State and can be secured for this purpose at 
any time on application to the State Department of Edu- 
cation. To be entitled to a diploma a school should measure 
up to the standard in the following particulars: 



28 



I. 

The Teacher. 

1. Good Teaching. 

2. Good Order and Management. 

3. First Grade Certificate. 

4. Full, Neat, and Accurate School Register. 

5. Daily Program Posted in Room. 

6. Teachers' Manual on Desk. 

II. 
Grounds. 

1. Good Condition. 

2. Playgrounds. 

3. School Garden. 

4. Two Separate Sanitary Closets. 

III. 
Building. 

1. Painted Outside. 

2. Plastered, or Ceiled and Painted. 

3. No Leaks. 

4. Windows without Broken Panes. 

5. Cloak Rooms. 

6. Good Doors with Locks and Keys. 

7. Clean and Well-kept. 

IV. 
Equipment. 

1. Patent Modern Desks. 

2. At least 20 Lineal feet of Blackboard per Room. 

3. Building Comfortably Heated and Ventilated. 

4. Framed Pictures on the Wall. 

5. Dictionary, Maps and Library. 

6. Sanitary Water Supply. 

29 



V. 
Associated Activities. 

1. Manual Arts, Corn, Canning, Pig, Poultry, or Cook- 
ing Club. 

VI. 
Salary of Teacher. 

At least $40 per month. 

VII. 
Term. 



At least seven months. 



30 



Gaylord Bros. 

Makers 
Syracuse, N. Y. 

PAL JAN. 21 J908 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



019 877 537 A, 



